JAPAN’S BIG LOSS

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22492, 30 October 1944, Page 6

JAPAN’S BIG LOSS

SMASHING DEFEAT ALLIES’ GREAT VICTORY (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) WASHINGTON, Oct. 28. Amplifying: despatches of the naval battle south of Leyte Gulf, Philippines, General MacArthur’s communique confirms that the enemy losses were greater than were originally estimated. All 16 Japanese warships were destroyed. The total enemy naval force that came through the Surigao Strait, says the communique, was composed of two battleships, the Yamashiro and the Fuso, two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers and 10 destroyers. Both battleships, one heavy cruiser, one light cruiser and six destroyers were sunk in the immediate action. The remaining two cruisers and four destroyers were badly damaged and fled, but were destroyed in subsequent air attacks. Many survivors from the sunken enemy warships were captured, including the captain of one destroyer. 58 Sunk or Damaged Admiral Nimitz announced that the Third and Seventh American Fleets sank or damaged 58 Japanese warships at a cost of only six American vessels lost in the second Battle of the Philippine Seas.

A Pacific Fleet communique issued by Admiral Nimitz at Pearl Harbour says: “Amplifying reports of the second Battle of the Philippine Seas, although still subject to revision, as more information is received, indicate an overwhelming victory for the Third and Seventh Fleets. The Japanese Fleet has been decisively defeated and routed.

“The second Battle of the Philippine Seas ranks as one of the major sea battles of the second world war. Movements of major Japanese fleet units north of the Singapore area were detected on October 21 and 22. Submarine scouts sighted the enemy force and sank two Atago class heavy cruisers and severely damaged a third. Ships of the Third Fleet moved into position east of the Philippines off Surigao Strait, San Bernadino Strait and Poilla Island. “Carrier searchers on October 23 discovered two strong enemy naval forces moving eastwards, one through the Sibuyan Sea, the other through the Sulu Sea. Photographs by carrier aircraft showed that the force moving eastwards through the Sibuyan Sea included five battleships, thought to be the Yatmato, Masashi, Nagato, Kongo and Harana, eight cruisers and thirteen destroyers. The force moving eastwards through the Sulu Sea consisted of two battleships of the Yamashiro class, two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers and seven or eight destroyers. Warships Set On Fire “As soon as the presence of the two enemy fleet forces in the Philippines was discovered on October 23 Hellcats and Avenger torpedo planes and Helldiver dive-bombers of the Third Fleet carriers were launched to attack both fcyces. One battleship and one cruiser in the Sibuyan Sea were severely damaged, set on fire, and may have sunk. Three other battleships and three heavy cruisers received bombs and torpedoes. One light cruiser was torpedoed and capsized and sank. . “Bomb hits were made on both battleships in the Sulu Sea. Cruisers and destroyers were strafed with rockets and machine-guns. “Meanwhile, east of the Philippines, enemy shore-based aircraft attacked our carriers. the ensuing air battle we shot down over 150 aircraft. Our losses, of which the exact figures are not yet available, included the light carrier Princeton, hit by a bomb, which caused a bad fire. Later the Princeton’s magazine blew up and the ship was so badly damaged that she had to be sunk by our forces. “On the afternoon of October 23 a land-based navy search plane discovered presence of.an enemy carrier • force approximately 200 miles off Cape Engano, northern Luzon, heading southward. This force consisted of seventeen warships, including a large carrier believed to be of the Zuikaku class, three light cruisers, two battleships with flight decks aft, a heavy cruiser, a light cruiser, three other cruisers and six destroyers. Caught by Surprise

“To meet this serious threat the Third Fleet commander concentrated several of his carrier task groups and started northward at high speed for a dawn attack. These Third Fleet units steamed full-speed through the night and caught the enemy so completely by surprise on the morning of October 24 that there was no effective air opposition. Later in the forenoon enemy carrier aircraft which had been refuelled ashore in the Philippines flew out to join their ships, which already had met disaster. The enemy planes arrived too late to get into the fight and we shot down 21. The following destruction was inflicted on the enemy in this action:—

Sunk—One carrier of the Zuikaku class, one light carrier of the Zuiho class, two light carriers of the Chitose class, one light cruiser or large destroyer, one destroyer and one cruiser. Damaged—Two battleships, three cruisers and four destroyers.

“None of the Third Fleet ships engaged with the enemy carriers were damaged. We lost ten planes, all shot down by flak. “Before all the damaged enemy ships could be tracked down the engagement was broken off in order to proceed to the assistance of the Seventh Fleet carrier escort groups then under attack off Samar Island. More Ships Damaged

“The enemy force of battleships, cruisers and destroyers which had been attacked in the Sibuyan sea sortied through San Bernadino Strait in spite of the damage inflicted by our carrier aircraft and attacked the Seventh Fleet off Samar Island on the morning of October 24. In the ensuing battle most of the enemy’s heavy ships were badly damaged by Seventh Fleet units and Third Fleet carrier aircraft. One cruiser was seen to sink and one destroyer was left dead in the water. The enemy force ran north-west-ward during the early hours of darkness and passed westward through San Bernadino Strait. We sank a straggling cruiser,

Japanese Routed Completely “The enemy has been routed completely. He sneaked away as best he could in his battered and crippled ships. That is just a taste of what lies in store for him whenever he heals his wounds and returns for more action. “The time will come when our fleet, unhampered by the necessity of guarding troops employed in seizing bases, will seek out the Japanese fleet wherever it may be and completely destroy it.” The Commander-in-Chief of the United States Navy, Admiral E. J. King, says the Philippines battles have reduced the Japanese fleet “ to not more than half its maximum strength.” The Associated Press says Admiral King is obviously referring to Japanese firepower and fighting ability rather than to the number of warships.